Socionics & Social Darwinism / Eugenics
One surprisingly consistent misgiving that people have expressed about Socionics - at least, based on what I've experienced following 'basic Socionics' talks - is its potential to perpetuate a sort of eugenics or Social Darwinism, i.e. to classify people and then use that classification to denigrate them.
I didn't know much about eugenics before the topic was brought up to me, but in researching its history, I learned that the United States (among other countries; for example, South Africa, Australia,) has a troubled history of pseudo-scientifically classifying supposed "races" and then using that classification to prop up certain "races" at the expense of others.For example, a book published by the U.S. Immigration Commission - The Dictionary of Races of Peoples (1911) - lists 45 different "races," and their supposed traits. These races range from "Anglo-Saxons" at the top, to - at the bottom - "Hebrews" and "Southern Italians," who the book describes at violent and unprincipled.
Obviously, this sort of classification is a repetition of scientifically baseless, racist ethnic stereotypes… Harmful ideas like these, masquerading as "expertise" gave rise to the bloodiest century in human history.
This history of qualitative classifications leading to horrible events, I understand, gives some people an immediate cause for concern re: Socionics.
My question is: do you think that this concern about Socionics - regardless of Socionics' scientific validity and ability to help people - is legit?
...Knowing that there will always be stupid people saying stupid things based on their own misunderstandings of information and prejudices...
Personally, I believe that Socionics can - once fully explored with intellectual honesty, and mastered - greatly benefit people and not qualitatively denigrate anyone. E.g. no one with an interest in both Socionics and intellectual honesty would ever say that 'Type A' is better than 'Type B.' Different? Yes -- but in the best way, because Socionics helps us explore personal differences and gives tools to reconcile them.